AN ALCOHOLIC awaiting trial accused of murdering his ex-wife committed suicide in his prison cell, an inquest ruled.

David Turner, 48, was an inmate at Holme House Prison in Stockton when he was found hanged from a ligature made out of a sheet.

A jury at Teesside Coroner’s Court yesterday returned a unanimous verdict that Mr Turner killed himself by hanging himself from the cell toilet door.

The inquest had heard that Middlesbrough-born Mr Turner had gone to his former wife Linda Hewitt’s home in Pity Me, County Durham, on January 26, last year.

Police said he waited for the 45-year-old to leave the house then pulled her to the ground and stabbed her repeatedly with a kitchen knife.

The jury heard that Mr Turner, who was intelligent and worked for years as a civil servant, had no criminal record and had been identified as a risk to himself when he went to Holme House.

He admitted suffering from depression and two earlier suicide attempts.

Mr Turner was placed on an Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork plan (ACCT) on February 1, 2006, which meant he was on suicide watch.

But the inquest was told that in the weeks that followed his mood improved and the ACCT provisions were lifted on March 31, with Mr Turner’s own agreement.

James Harcus, a senior prison officer at Holme House, was the case manager on the day the ACCT was closed.

He told the jury that Mr Turner said he had come to terms with his situation and felt a lot happier now he had “found his feet in the prison”.

Mr Turner was found by a prison officer at 6.30am on April 6, 2006.

Donald Barrell, an investigating officer for the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, said a number of recommendations had been made following an investigation into Mr Turner’s death, including that all officers should always carry ligature cutters.